Although the play has a denouement (an ending) of sorts, some critics argue that complete closure is not

provided. The Epilogue is spoken by Prospero directly to the audience, inviting them to listen. Prospero now finds himself in the same position as Ariel and Caliban. He must plea to a superior power (the audience) for his freedom. He admits all his magical powers have gone, Now my charms are all oerthrown, /And what strength I havens mine. It was a convention in many Elizabethan and Jacobean plays for an actor to step out of role at the end and ask for applause. However, Prospero seems to stay in role, hoping to be released from the island so that he may journey to Naples. Nonetheless, he does ask for applause, and again admits his lack of Sprits to enforce, art to enchant. Therefore, he ends with a plea, calling on the mercy of the audience, asking them to pardon him as he had pardoned his enemies. In traditional interpretations of Act 5, the major themes of the play are seen as harmoniously concluded. Prospero learns from Ariel the virtue of forgiveness over vengeance and grants mercy to his enemies, reconciliation is achieved, rightful authority is restored, magic is renounced and liberty is granted since other characters (mariners and other spirits) are set free from their enchantments or confinements. Prospero and the others prepare to return to Naples, and the ownership of the island reverts to Caliban, who will seek for grace. But Shakespeares playwriting skills put such neat and optimistic conclusions into question. He fills the act with complexities, silences, ironies and ambivalence. These include examples, such as neither Sebastian nor Antonio expresses remorse or show that their characters have reformed, Prosperos public forgiveness of Antonio is begrudgingly spoken, and he threatens he may later expose his brothers and Sebastians murderous intention, and Mirandas few speeches suggest she has much learning to do. She willingly accepts any cheating or deception Ferdinand might practise as fair play. Another issue is that Ariel makes no response to being finally set free, her attitude towards her master Prospero remains enigmatic. We realise that Prospero will return to being the Duke of Milan once more, but through the marriage of Ferdinand and Miranda, Milan is still subject to Naples. We are also unclear of what will happen to Caliban. When Prospero declares, this thing of darkness I/ Acknowledge mine, it can be interpreted as a controversial statement since he recognises the responsibility of Caliban is his own, yet he does nothing about Caliban at the end of the play. The literature image behind the epilogue of The Tempest greatly involves the attitude and interpretation of art. Prospero has managed to construct a portal or window to an imaginary world for the audience, meaning Shakespeare has succeeded in fusing art and reality. From that, it is perplexing to assume his need to address the subjective yet neutral third party, which is the audience and this shatters the synthetic reality. However, one can argue that the epilogue is a beautiful and humble ending to a story filled with strong magical elements for example the control is given to the audience, symbolically they are given Prosperos magical garment. The audience, who are now a passive third party, is given a choice of interaction and a chance to rise beyond spectatorship. An interesting aspect of the Tempest was that it was Shakespeares last play and the Epilogue can be seen to be the final words of a great artist. Due to the lack of historically reliable biographical information of Shakespeares character, it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine the effect of his life situation to the message itself. Justified or not, the epilogue appears to be a farewell similar to a modest artist handing over his life to the audience to which he has dedicated his entire life to. Looking at the epilogue, we are forced to focus mainly on Prosperos character. We may question why does he leave a farewell speech and why does he become the link from the world of the play to the world of reality where the audience appear. His

Mrs Griffins The Tempest

importance as the narrator creates a third dimension to his character traits, he becomes the Godlike figure that seems limited to living on an island, yet he can perform physical leaps between dimensions. The person speaking is the author himself, for in his art he has become a largely influential figure. Rhythmically and structurally, the epilogue follows the same style and pattern as the entire play. It is rich in rhyme and in wording. The passage can be more or less distinctly separated into three equal parts. However, every detail gives space for wide interpretation. The main structure of the epilogue can be interpreted as the cycle of life. First the narrator enters the game of existence, appears from the womb, And what strength I have's my own. As strongly claimed by Jean-Paul Sartre's metaphysics, birth to a person is a subjectively chosen process, emerged from the "charms" that are now, after birth all o'erthrown. Using the presented division birth is followed by life itself, a search for a meaning and true freedom, for example, But release me from my bands. The narrator realises he wants to be released from his misery - the only way he can achieve that is making his life worthwhile, and it is known that giving up on life would be a crime against natural law. The last section of the epilogue requests freedom by final death. The narrator has realised the purpose he has constructed for his life has been wholly fulfilled. He wants to retire with peace - he seeks acknowledgement for his life's success when he addresses the audience, As you from crimes would pardon'd be, / Let your indulgence set me free. Another interpretation of the epilogue is the fact that the artist, be it Shakespeare or Prospero as his creation declares himself detached from moral ties directed towards the audience, and, with reference to Prosperos use of power, the other characters of the play. This is a very important aspect in both the general basis of human nature and as the driving force of the artist (Shakespeare). Freedom is and element of the Natural Law - the system of necessities to justify a meaningful existence. However, as the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre stated that freedom necessarily involves the property of responsibility. Man has unconditional freedom and selfdefined moral ties yet he is responsible for following his own will with regard to his own value system. If responsibility is not utilised, man takes s step towards animal qualities, he does not fulfil the Natural Law. A similar pattern of freedom and responsibilities is presented in the Epilogue. Shakespeare has used unconditional freedom not only in his art but also in giving respect to the audience as the object of amusement, Gentle breathe of yours my sailswhich was to please. Now I want / Spirits to enforce, Art to enchant.

Mrs Griffins The Tempest